Person struggling with exhaustion

Author and psychologist Devon Price doesn’t just think “lazy” is a harsh term – in an interview with NPR, he said he doesn’t think the attribute really even exists.

Instead, the expert suggests, the word is bandied about to shame people into prioritising productivity over health.

Speaking to HuffPost UK, consultant psychologist and founder of London mental health clinic Nos Curare, Dr Bijal Chheda, said that so-called “laziness” really can be a sign of mental health issues and neurodivergence.

She shared seven behaviours some may label “lazy” that might indicate you actually need more support:

1) Struggling to get out of bed

“For many people living with mood disorders, such as depression or bipolar disorder, just getting out of bed in the morning can feel impossible,” Dr Chheda said.

“This is especially the case after high-energy periods where intense emotional highs are followed by a sudden crash that reflects physically.”

During very high-activity spells, people with bipolar can push themselves far beyond their limits, the psychologist told us.

“In these cases, exhaustion is so overwhelming it can feel physically paralysing, making even simple tasks feel impossible.”

2) Skipping basic self-care steps

Missing showers, not brushing your teeth, and wearing the same clothes for days can leave some people feeling “lazy.”

But, Dr Chheda told us, “Neglecting personal hygiene or even basic self-maintenance tasks, such as eating regularly, can actually stem from feelings of numbness or hopelessness, symptoms often linked to

© HuffPost